Gretel-Ann Fischer, owner of Cupp's cafe and bakery in Winooski, is a contestant on the third season of TLC's reality show 'Next Great Baker,' which airs Mondays. / Courtesy TLC

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Gretel-Ann Fischer

Game changers are events that can affect the predicted outcome of a situation. That is what this week’s episode on TLC’s ‘Next Great Baker’ turned out to be.

The baking challenge was to duplicate Buddy Valastro’s (aka the Cake Boss) signature ‘Groovy Girl’ cake. Though this cake looks incredibly easy to reproduce, it is not. First, there are fondant flowers that have multiple layers, and alternating colors. The piping had to be exact at the base. And, the fondant needs to be steamed for a perfect finish. The team that I was a part of figured out, after a few mistakes, how to make a Cake Boss approved cake, and we were able to cinch a win. The relief and rush that I felt from that win was unbelievable.

We were then immediately challenged to create a superhero cake. And not just any cake, this cake was to have engineering of some sort. Think fire-breathing villains, flying rockets, etc. Good grief. We’re bakers ... not electricians or engineers! This was incredibly challenging for our team. We got to work with seven hours on the clock. With five hours left, we were informed that the client (aka Buddy Valastro) changed his mind and that he needed the cakes in two hours. Our team scrambled to make it work, but ultimately lost the challenge, which was judged by The Incredible Hulk, Lou Ferrigno.

I found myself on the reality show chopping block, again this week. As we were waiting to find out our fate, which of the four of us would be headed home, contestant James Brown walked into the elimination room. James had found out that he had a benign brain tumor the day he started filming for the show. James entered the room and declared that he wanted to leave the show to focus on his health and family. Wow. That is a game changer. Needless to say, there were many tears shed by all. James is a great person and a solid baker. It was an honor to get to know him. I spoke by phone with James on Monday and he said that he is doing fine. He’ll be having surgery after the holidays and we hope to have more updates to share on his progress soon. His decision to leave the show means no contestant was eliminated.

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The holidays are approaching and treats play a big role. Next week’s episode of ‘Next Great Baker’ has us working on a challenge themed around the classic movie “A Christmas Story.”

With the holidays in mind, and getting preparations under way, I always like to make gingerbread houses for my family and at Cupp’s Café. Here’s my recipe for perfect gingerbread. If you don’t want to make a house, this recipe can also be used for gingerbread men. Remember that the decorating of the houses is really the biggest element. There are great tips on my blog (www.cuppsvt.com/blog) this week for decorating ideas and how to make the roof and walls of your house line up properly (hint: measure, measure, and measure again!). Most of all, remember to have fun.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix. Get your hands right in there and mix all ingredients until combined. Chill dough for at least 12 hours. After the dough is chilled, let it warm to room temperature.

Roll out to about one-eighth-inch thick. Cut out your windows and doors.

Bake for 12 -15 min at 350 deg or until hard. Check during cooking time and pop any air bubbles that may form with a tooth pick or a sharp small knife. Cool on wire wrack completely before building house — and then decorate with abandon.